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WASHINGTON, June 28, 2005 -The Direct Marketing Association (The DMA) this afternoon expressed its appreciation to both the US House of Representatives and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for actions taken to help clarify the rules for commercial faxes.
The House passed legislation today that echoes a similar bill passed in the Senate last week, which prohibits commercial faxes from being sent to consumers or businesses unless there is either an established business relationship (EBR) or written consent. Both bills reflected a compromise that allows marketers to continue to send such faxes when there is an EBR.
The FCC yesterday issued an extension to a rule scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2005, that would ban commercial faxes to customers. The ban is now scheduled to go into effect on January 9, 2006, unless President George W. Bush signs the "Junk Fax Prevention Act."
"We are pleased by the actions today both in the House and at the FCC," said Jerry Cerasale, senior vice president, government relations, The DMA. "We think the legislation offers a balance that protects both consumers and businesses alike, and hope that President Bush will quickly sign the legislation into law so that FCC extensions no longer will be needed."
For the FCC's order, visit http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-132A1.doc.
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About The DMA
The Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) is the leading trade association for businesses and organizations interested in direct, interactive, and database marketing, which in 2004 generated more than $2.3 trillion in US sales, including $143.3 billion in catalog sales and $52.5 billion in Web-driven sales. In addition to catalogs and the Web, DMA members employ a wide variety of marketing media, including mail, e-mail, telephone, newspapers and magazines, interactive television, and radio, among others. Founded in 1917, The DMA today has more than 5,200 corporate, affiliate, and chapter members from the US and 44 other nations, including 55 companies listed on the Fortune 100. Reflecting the significant and growing role that direct marketing plays in today's advertising mix, The DMA's membership represents marketers from every business segment, including catalogers, Internet retailers, retail stores, nonprofit organizations, advertising agencies, financial services providers, book and magazine publishers, book and music clubs, industrial manufacturers, and a host of other vertical segments, as well as the service industries that support marketers.
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